One of the 24 traditional Chinese solar terms
valley
rain
guyu
Hydrate everything, rain and grain
Gu yu is the sixth of the twenty-four solar terms, and it is also the last solar term of spring, when the seedlings in the field are first planted and the crops are newly planted, and the moisture of the rain is most needed, so "spring rain is as expensive as oil". In the "Seventy-two Waiting Solutions to the Moon Order", it is said, "In the middle of March, since the rain, the earth has pulsated, and now it is raining again in the valley of the water... Gaigu sows seeds at this time, from the bottom up also", hence the name.
Valley rain three times
In ancient China, Gu Yu was divided into three seasons: "One waits for Ping to be born; the other waits for the dove to whisk its feathers; and the third waits for Dai Sheng to descend to Sang." This means that after the rain in the valley, the rainfall increases, the duckweed begins to grow, the cuckoos also begin to remind people to sow seeds, and the daisheng birds can be seen on the mulberry trees. Folk legend has been circulated that "after three days of rain in the valley, look at the peony in the garden" and "peony medicine head, peony pedicure", as well as "the flowers in the moon season only go to the tip, the flowers bloom without stagnation", describing the spring color of this festival and the blossoming of the world.
Dai Sheng Bird
The climate characteristics of the rainy season of the valley are mainly rainy, and the rain at this time is not only more and more urgent, the so-called rain produces a hundred grains, which is a good time to sow seeds. The rainy season is also the flowering period of winter wheat for overwintering crops, and the seedling period for corn and cotton for spring sown crops, which all need abundant rainwater to promote development and growth.
Valley rain customs
Gu Yu Ji Cangjie
According to the Huainanzi, the Yellow Emperor issued an edict in late spring and early summer, announcing the success of Cangjie's character creation, and a rain of millet fell on the same day. Every year in the valley rain, the "Cangjie Temple Fair" will be held in Baishui County, Shaanxi. In 2010, the United Nations set April 20 as "Chinese Language Day", which is also to commemorate the contribution of the legendary "ancestor of Chinese characters" Cangjie.
Drink guyu tea and admire peonies
In Fujian, tea farmers make Guyu tea from fresh tea leaves picked on Guyu Day into Guyu tea, which is said to be able to clear fire, ward off evil spirits, and blind eyes. Therefore, no matter what the weather is on this day, people will go to the tea mountain to pick some new tea and come back to drink. Before and after the valley rain is an important time for peony blossoms, so the peony flowers are also called "valley rain flowers". "Gu Yu Three Dynasties Look at Peonies", so far, in Shandong Heze, Henan Luoyang and other places, every year in the valley rainy season will hold peony flower party.
Peony flowers
Gu Rain is the last blessing of spring
It's late spring, and summer is approaching
The last spring light
Anchor: CICI
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Written by/CICI
Reviewer/Lingling Wu
Edited by Chen Hongshi